Moore Dry Dock Company – California

Moore Dry Dock Company was located in the San Francisco Bay Area in Oakland, California. The Moore Dry Dock covered 128 acres and employed over 26,000 workers. In fact, Moore Dry Dock Company was the first shipyard to employ African American workers, and they also employed thousands of women. Moore Dry Dock Company’s employees repaired and constructed thousands of ships and war vessels until the company closed in 1961.

Moore Dry Dock Company History

Moore & Scott Iron Works was established in 1905 in San Francisco, California. In 1908, the Great San Francisco Earthquake caused the shipyard to burn down. A year later, the shipyard was restored and Moore & Scott purchased the Boole Shipyard in Oakland, California. In 1922, Moore bought out Scott and changed the shipyard’s name to Moore Dry Docks. Until World War I began, Moore Dry Dock Company operated as a ship repair facility.

Moore Dry Dock Company’s Activities

During WWI, Moore Dry Dock Company built more than sixty ships and broke a world record by launching six large ships in 55 minutes.

From 1919 until 1936 (when Congress passed the United States Maritime Commission), Moore Dry Dock Company’s workers repaired hundred of ships and built:

Dredges

Hangars

Factories

Office buildings

Caissons for the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge

Moore Dry Dock Company significantly expanded when the U.S. Maritime Commission awarded them a contract to construct four C-3 cargo ships. At that time, Moore Dry Dock Company’s facility grew from 42 acres to 128 acres and its personnel jumped from 4,000 to 26,000. Moore Dry Dock Company was also the first shipyard to construct an LSD (landing ship, dock), the largest type of landing craft. All together, the shipyard produced eight LSDs.

During WWII, the Moore Dry Dock Company’s workers built two 20 million dollar, 18,000 ton submarine tenders. The workers also built:

Three hospital ships

Seven transports (including four attack transports)

Six AKAs (combat loaded cargo ships)

Six refrigerated cargo ships

Forty-eight long-range C-2 type cargo vessels

Moore Dry Dock Company efficiently repaired over 2,000 ships at a rate of one ship repair every 1.5 hours. This extremely fast repair rate earned the Moore Dry Dock Company a reputation as the fastest repair shipyard during World War II.

Asbestos at Moore Dry Dock Company

Asbestos fibers become airborne during ship construction and repair. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they remain lodged in the lungs and can cause severe and fatal diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

The Moore Dry Dock Company employees were unaware that asbestos is dangerous. Additionally, the shipyard was poorly ventilated and most workers did not wear protective clothing or respiratory gear. As a result, Moore Dry Dock Company workers have become ill with asbestos related illnesses, which may take up to 40 years to develop.

Asbestos Injuries at Moore Dry Dock Company – California

If you or a loved one has been injured by asbestos exposure while working for the Moore Dry Dock Company, please contact us today as you may be entitled to compensation.